The phrase “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is honestly horrible, because before I read a book, I judge its cover, or more specifically, its title. Titles are ultimately the reason you will or won’t watch something.
What would you rather watch; The Act of Killing, or The Shipping News? Most people would probably say “The Act of Killing”, because let’s face it, a movie that sounds like it’s about serial killers is much more interesting than a movie about shipping stuff. But then again, how do we know “The Shipping News” is about shipping? Well, we don’t. “The Shipping News” is actually about a man whose wife’s passing convinces him to move him and his daughter north. He lands a job as a reporter where he uncovers dark family secrets. “The Act of Killing” is a documentary about the mass executions of accused communists in Indonesia. Now with one would you rather watch? Some people still might say “The Act of Killing”, but others might prefer “The Shipping News.” The point is titles are important.
Titles are the first introduction the outside world has to your movie or book, and that’s why it’s so important. As humans, we are predisposed to judge things based on the information we have, even if it’s just a few words. So here is my advice to anyone writing a book, or a movie, or even for your next essay. Yes, your title should tell the audience what your book is about, but it should also be a hook. Think of the autobiography, “Born A Crime.” That title is a hook, it makes the reader want to know, how is someone born a crime?
Titles are just as important as the cover because those few words you use are the final standing point of whether or not someone is going to read it. So yes, titles matter.
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